Grape Ape Racing

Well folks, we've been out of commission for several months now. I'm sure you all tackled that list of honedews that you planned for the shutdown. NOT!!! I went out and started the cars once a week waiting for nothing more than a return to the track....any track.....!!! Looks like we might be slowly coming back in a way that this old primate will never understand. Stay safe, and keep your tires inflated. This can't last forever!

Let's not forget that Kindergartners are graduating too. Get your yard sign for you grad whether it is Kindergarten, middle school, high school, or even college from Wicked Stitchz.

The Grape Ape is back on the prowl this weekend at Sonoma Raceway for the NHRA Lucas Oil Series Double Header. Unfortunately, no spectators are allowed so we will have to entertain each other. The Ape is tuned, cleaned, and a fresh gulp of VP Race Gas and should be ultra competitive in Super Stock action. The 73 Plymouth Stock Eliminator car will be coming off a couple respectable showings in Seattle and Sacramento in this sports challenged season we have going so far. We are looking for a couple Wallys for the shelf! Please don't say break a tierod.....

Well folks, we've been out of commission for several months now. I'm sure you all tackled that list of honedews that you planned for the shutdown. NOT!!! I went out and started the cars once a week waiting for nothing more than a return to the track....any track.....!!! Looks like we might be slowly coming back in a way that this old primate will never understand. Stay safe, and keep your tires inflated. This can't last forever!

Let's not forget that Kindergartners are graduating too. Get your yard sign for you grad whether it is Kindergarten, middle school, high school, or even college from Wicked Stitchz.

Thanks Wicked Stitch'z

Well the old Ape is back at it this week at Famoso Raceway running in Pro. Its going to be hot and miserable as usual in Bakersfield. With any luck we can race and get out of there early enough to get home in time for college football and cheesy nachos.

Well, after a few weeks of rest and home tuneups we're back on the road next week to beautiful Sonoma, CA for the NHRA Sonoma Nationals and the divisional race the preceding weekend. So happy that my beautiful grandaughter is making the trip with us. After we win the back to back races in Sonoma we will then head to Seattle with the Kirby Racing Stock Eliminator car to get a taste of that clean northwest air. Let's just hope that typical northwest rain leaves us alone for just a few days. The goal? A couple Wallys, a little cash, and a great time of fellowship with some of the best people and friends a guy could ask for.....(and a couple of turdheads too).

What an awesome weekend of racing we had last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The Grape Ape was on a mission. Starting out with 80 cars in Super Stock we were able to the quarter finals where only 5 cars remained to run for the money. Not at all by coincidence, all 5 were built or perfected by Phil, Tony, and Phil Jr at PMR Enterprises. A string of killer lights including two .000 perfect launches helped to get through an incredibly tough field including the World Ch...ampion in both Stock and Super Stock, Justin Lamb. The Ape was swinging through the trees as usual with 9 runs varying only about .005 seconds. The weather was perfect for racing. The only downside is my crewchief, Miss Nancypants had to stay home and watch the store. Oh well.....somebody has to earn a living!!! Next week we are back to Las Vegas for the Annual Mopars at the Strip event. Please don't say break a leg because with all the arthritis and muscle spasms it is too entirely likely to happen!! See more

Its time to get the old Ape out of the cage and wreak havoc upon the Super Stock Pros at Las Vegas Motor Speedway next weekend. Some new ideas in the motor/trans combination should lead to improved et's, higher wheelies, and more win lights for our team. If you happen to be in North Las Vegas next weekend make sure to come on by and have a stale hot dog and a warm soda.....whattaya want ITS FREE!!

It looks like our season is finally coming to a close next weekend in Pomona. After a tough start to the year having spent the first six months trying to break free of the nasty effects of the "Big C".....we endured enough chemo to kill a buffalo and jumped back into the race car to try to salvage a productive racing season. It all comes to a head this next weekend at the NHRA World Finals in Pomana where we will be competing in Stock Eliminator in the Baby Ape. I would ask you to wish me to "break a leg"...but I think I'd rather stay away from hospitals for at least the foreseeable future.

Well...we limped home this weekend from the Lucas Oil Divisional series final in Las Vegas with a wounded Ape in the trailer. The next few hours in the shop will be spent trying to diagnose an elusive problem. For some yet to be determined reason we lost a good deal of power on the second run of the day. We decided to withdraw rather than risk an on track mechanical failure that could have resulted in more expensive repair or possibly even put the safety of a competitor in jeopardy. Nope, the Ape will live to fight another battle when the season resumes in February.

Well, we took the Baby Ape out this weekend for some shakedown passes at the Summit Racing ET Finals. While racing for Team Famoso(Bakersfield), we went a couple rounds without really impressing anybody. We were able to discover a couple minor mechanical gremlins but nothing to help or hinder performance. Now for a short 2 week break and The Grape Ape returns to Super Stock competition at the NHRA Toyota Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 27. We are hoping to continue the pace that was set at the Sonoma Nationals and hopefully another trip to the final round. The competition is the stiffest in the country so it will take every bit of skill we've got to keep pace with the field.

If you happen to be in the Bay Area this weekend....or you just want to escape the 100+ degree heat that has enveloped all of the West.....just swing on over to Sonoma Raceway to enjoy some 10,000 Horsepower Nitro Burning Fuelers and a few wheelstanding stockers and super stockers for your weekend entertainment. There is always cold iced tea at our trailer and unending stories(lies) about life as it should be. How could you go wrong!!!